Medical examiners are independent and apathetic towards any outcome the examination might produce. They are not concerned with whether the defendant will be convicted or not, only whether the defendant presented an honest answer to the examiner’s questions during the examination. Unlike police officers and state troopers, medical examiners are not out to find criminals, but merely to determine whether or not a diagnosis was made. While there is sometimes controversy as to whether an examination should include a field test of psychological skills, most states now allow this to be done.
However, what many people do not realize is that the integrity of the examination is crucial to a finding of innocence or guilt. Even if the medical examiner determines that the defendant did in fact commit the crime, if they fail to properly convey their opinion, it could cast doubt on their credibility as a witness or expert in the area of forensic pathology. Because of this potential problem, the training requirements to become a medical examiner to require a person to obtain training from a certified training school. Among the many areas of medical training that will be required for a medical examiner certification are:
One of the most important aspects of the medical examiner definition of this important profession is that it requires an extensive amount of education prior to becoming a professional examiner. Once qualified, an individual will need to pass the board exam and take continuing education every two years or so in order to maintain licensure. It is also very important for an individual to be able to pass the IPE. These two requirements, combined with the other requirements of becoming a forensic medical examiner, make it one of the most challenging professions to enter.
There are many different fields within the medical profession that require thorough educational background, such as anesthesiology, radiology, emergency medicine, and pathology. While these professions all require a certain amount of education before becoming a part of the workforce, there are other fields that don’t have these minimum requirements. In the field of forensics, medical examiners are considered the front line of crime scene investigation. This requires someone who is highly trained in all of the required technology and has experience working with cases involving blood, homicide, suicide, and criminal activity. Although there are no specific requirements for medical examiners, most states require candidates for this position to at least hold a bachelor’s degree in biology, chemistry, anatomy, pharmacology, and physiology. Candidates with an Associate’s degree in Biology or Chemistry may be considered, but they usually do not possess the clinical experience to qualify as an Examiner.
Once a candidate has been accepted into law school and is eligible to take the state’s certification exam, the path to becoming a medical examiner begins. Each state has their own set of educational requirements, but candidates need to successfully pass the board exam in order to become certified by the American Board of Medical Examiners. This exam is divided into two parts and must be passed in order to be valid. The first part covers oncology, neurology, psychiatry, trauma, internal medicine, and forensic pathology. Candidates who successfully complete this portion of the exam will then take the final examination in order to become a chief medical examiner assistant. This exam is administered twice per year, and candidates who successfully pass the exam must be re-certified every two years or take a refresher course.
Forensic medical examiners and their assistants perform autopsies on individuals that have been deceased. They are responsible for determining the cause of death, accurately diagnosing the cause of death, performing autopsies, preparing the death scene for documentation, and developing a timeline of the death and the circumstances surrounding its occurrence. As stated above, these professionals also collect tissue samples from the bodies for pathological and historical analysis.
While the above overview of the role of an aviation medical examiner definition is helpful, it is not a full picture of what the job entails. Not only do these professionals perform autopsies and take tissue samples on individuals, they also work with crime scene investigators and police officers in the course of their work. If you are interested in one of these challenging, yet rewarding career fields, you need to obtain the education and certification necessary to qualify.
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